Arms Park debut for Saracens prop Evans

SARACENS hooker Kat Evans makes her international debut at Cardiff Arms Park as the only new face in head coach Ioan Cunningham’s line-up.

Scrum-half Keira Bevan makes her first appearance since March 2020, while Sevens sensation Jasmine Joyce starts as full-back.

Wales aim to end a twoyear losing streak against the Sakura XV.

Wales’ players will also be competing for the ten professional and 15 semiprofessional contracts on offer from the WRU from the start of next year.

Japan are currently ranked 12th, one place below Wales, in the World Rugby rankings and like Wales have qualified to play in next year’s World Cup in New Zealand.

Cunningham said: “Kat fully deserves her starting berth. She has a very high work-rate and brings added physicality to the pack.”

Evans is joined in the front row by her Saracens teammate Donna Rose, who made her debut in the 2021 Six Nations opener against France, while fellow prop Caryl Thomas brings a wealth of experience with 55 caps.

Natalia John and Gwen Crabb pack down behind them, with Georgie Evans, Bethan Lewis and the captain

Siwan Lillicrap in the back row.

Bevan and Elinor Snowsill continue their Bristol partnership at halfback, while Hannah Jones and Kerin Lake start in the midfield with Joyce, Lisa Neumann and Courtney Keight in the back three.

Former captain Carys Phillips has been recalled to the squad – she has not worn the jersey since 2019. She is joined on the bench by scrum-half Ffion Lewis, who returns from captaining Wales in rugby league.

Cunningham added: “Our priority is to ensure we do the basics right, and then we can look to get the ball out wide to play some attacking rugby.